Woman Seriously Injured In Fire

BRANFORD — A 33-year-old mother was badly burned Sunday evening in an accidental fire at her home in the Highland Trailer Park, officials said.

Branford firefighters arrived at 143 N. Ivy St. about 5:30 p.m. to find the trailer engulfed in flames, a fire official said.

Kimberly Whitmore, who was in critical condition at Bridgeport Hospital's burn unit, lived in trailer No. 5 with her boyfriend, David King, 34, and her 3-month-old daughter.

Police and fire officials say Whitmore was apparently removing polish from her nails with acetone while smoking a cigarette when the fire started. She suffered burns over 40 percent of her body, police said.

Whitmore was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment and later transferred to Bridgeport Hospital. No one else was injured.

Whitmore, King and the infant were out of the trailer when fire personnel arrived. The blaze started in the middle of the trailer near the bathroom, officials said.

A ``significant'' portion of the trailer was damaged, police said, and officials determined the cause was accidental.